Reading through the Word...Day 25

GENESIS 50:1-- EXODUS 2:10
MATTHEW 16:13- 17:9
PSALM 21:1- 13
PROVERBS 5:1- 6


Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph told his morticians to embalm the body. 3 The embalming process took forty days, and there was a period of national mourning for seventy days. 4 When the period of mourning was over, Joseph approached Pharaoh's advisers and asked them to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf. 5 He told them, "Tell Pharaoh that my father made me swear an oath. He said to me, `I am about to die; take my body back to the land of Canaan, and bury me in our family's burial cave. 'Now I need to go and bury my father. After his burial is complete, I will return without delay." 6 Pharaoh agreed to Joseph's request. "Go and bury your father, as you promised," he said. 7 So Joseph went, with a great number of Pharaoh's counselors and advisers-- all the senior officers of Egypt. 8 Joseph also took his brothers and the entire household of Jacob. But they left their little children and flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 9 So a great number of chariots, cavalry, and people accompanied Joseph. 10 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn funeral, with a seven- day period of mourning for Joseph's father. 11 The local residents, the Canaanites, renamed the place Abel- mizraim, for they said, "This is a place of very deep mourning for these Egyptians." 12 So Jacob's sons did as he had commanded them. 13 They carried his body to the land of Canaan and buried it there in the cave of Machpelah. This is the cave that Abraham had bought for a permanent burial place in the field of Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre. 14 Then Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father's funeral. 15 But now that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers became afraid. "Now Joseph will pay us back for all the evil we did to him," they said. 16 So they sent this message to Joseph:"Before your father died, he instructed us 17 to say to you:`Forgive your brothers for the great evil they did to you.' So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive us." When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and bowed low before him. "We are your slaves," they said. 19 But Joseph told them, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, to judge and punish you? 20 As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don't be afraid. Indeed, I myself will take care of you and your families." And he spoke very kindly to them, reassuring them. 22 So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph was 110 years old when he died. 23 He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim and the children of Manasseh's son Makir, who were treated as if they were his own. 24 "Soon I will die," Joseph told his brothers, "but God will surely come for you, to lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he vowed to give to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, "When God comes to lead us back to Canaan, you must take my body back with you." 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt. 1:1 THESE are the sons of Jacob who went with their father to Egypt, each with his family:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, 4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 Joseph was already down in Egypt. In all, Jacob had seventy direct descendants. 6 In time, Joseph and each of his brothers died, ending that generation. 7 But their descendants had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so quickly that they soon filled the land. 8 Then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. 9 He told his people, "These Israelites are becoming a threat to us because there are so many of them. 10 We must find a way to put an end to this. If we don't and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country." 11 So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves and put brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down under heavy burdens. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more quickly the Israelites multiplied! The Egyptians soon became alarmed 13 and decided to make their slavery more bitter still. 14 They were ruthless with the Israelites, forcing them to make bricks and mortar and to work long hours in the fields. 15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah:16 "When you help the Hebrew women give birth, kill all the boys as soon as they are born. Allow only the baby girls to live." 17 But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king and allowed the boys to live, too. 18 Then the king called for the midwives. "Why have you done this?" he demanded. "Why have you allowed the boys to live?" 19 "Sir," they told him, "the Hebrew women are very strong. They have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time! They are not slow in giving birth like Egyptian women." 20 So God blessed the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. 22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people:"Throw all the newborn Israelite boys into the Nile River. But you may spare the baby girls." 2:1 DURING this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw what a beautiful baby he was and kept him hidden for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a little basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile River. 4 The baby's sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him. 5 Soon after this, one of Pharaoh's daughters came down to bathe in the river, and her servant girls walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the little basket among the reeds, she told one of her servant girls to get it for her. 6 As the princess opened it, she found the baby boy. His helpless cries touched her heart. "He must be one of the Hebrew children," she said. 7 Then the baby's sister approached the princess. "Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" she asked. 8 "Yes, do!" the princess replied. So the girl rushed home and called the baby's mother. 9 "Take this child home and nurse him for me," the princess told her. "I will pay you for your help." So the baby's mother took her baby home and nursed him. 10 Later, when he was older, the child's mother brought him back to the princess, who adopted him as her son. The princess named him Moses, for she said, "I drew him out of the water."


When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." 15 Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven." 20 Then he sternly warned them not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that he had to go to Jerusalem, and he told them what would happen to him there. He would suffer at the hands of the leaders and the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, and he would be raised on the third day. 22 But Peter took him aside and corrected him. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!" 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God's." 24 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. 26 And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For I, the Son of Man, will come in the glory of my Father with his angels and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see me, the Son of Man, coming in my Kingdom." 17:1 SIX days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. 2 As the men watched, Jesus 'appearance changed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. 4 Peter blurted out, "Lord, this is wonderful! If you want me to, I'll make three shrines, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 5 But even as he said it, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him. Listen to him." 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. 7 Jesus came over and touched them. "Get up," he said, "don't be afraid." 8 And when they looked, they saw only Jesus with them. 9 As they descended the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen until I, the Son of Man, have been raised from the dead."


For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD!
He shouts with joy because of your victory.
2 For you have given him his heart's desire;
you have held back nothing that he requested.
Interlude3 You welcomed him back with success and prosperity.
You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.
4 He asked you to preserve his life,
and you have granted his request.
The days of his life stretch on forever.
5 Your victory brings him great honor,
and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.
6 You have endowed him with eternal blessings.
You have given him the joy of being in your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the LORD.
The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling.
8 You will capture all your enemies.
Your strong right hand will seize all those who hate you.
9 You will destroy them as in a flaming furnace
when you appear.
The LORD will consume them in his anger;
fire will devour them.
10 You will wipe their children from the face of the earth;
they will never have descendants.
11 Although they plot against you,
their evil schemes will never succeed.
12 For they will turn and run
when they see your arrows aimed at them.
13 We praise you, LORD, for all your glorious power.
With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.


My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will learn to be discreet and will store up knowledge. The lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But the result is as bitter as poison, sharp as a double- edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she does not care about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn't even realize where it leads

Reading through the Word...Day 24

GENESIS 48:1- 49:33
MATTHEW 15:29- 16:12
PSALM 20:1- 9
PROVERBS 4:20- 27

One day not long after this, word came to Joseph that his father was failing rapidly. So Joseph went to visit him, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Jacob heard that Joseph had arrived, he gathered his strength and sat up in bed to greet him. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4 He said to me, `I will make you a multitude of nations, and I will give this land of Canaan to you and your descendants as an everlasting possession. '5 Now I am adopting as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will inherit from me just as Reuben and Simeon will. 6 But the children born to you in the future will be your own. The land they inherit will be within the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh. 7 As I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, just a short distance from Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath." 8 Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. "Are these your sons?" he asked. 9 "Yes," Joseph told him, "these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt." And Jacob said, "Bring them over to me, and I will bless them." 10 Now Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them. 11 Then Jacob said to Joseph, "I never thought I would see you again, but now God has let me see your children, too." 12 Joseph took the boys from their grandfather's knees, and he bowed low to him. 13 Then he positioned the boys so Ephraim was at Jacob's left hand and Manasseh was at his right hand. 14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys' heads. So his right hand was on the head of Ephraim, the younger boy, and his left hand was on the head of Manasseh, the older. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May God, the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life, 16 and the angel who has kept me from all harm-- may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac. And may they become a mighty nation." 17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim's head. So he lifted it to place it on Manasseh's head instead. 18 "No, Father," he said, "this one over here is older. Put your right hand on his head." 19 But his father refused. "I know what I'm doing, my son," he said. "Manasseh, too, will become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. His descendants will become a multitude of nations!" 20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing:"The people of Israel will use your names to bless each other. They will say, `May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh. '" In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21 Then Jacob said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 22 And I give you an extra portion beyond what I have given your brothers-- the portion that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow." 49:1 THEN Jacob called together all his sons and said, "Gather around me, and I will tell you what is going to happen to you in the days to come. 2" Come and listen, O sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.
3 "Reuben, you are my oldest son,
the child of my vigorous youth.
You are first on the list in rank and honor.
4 But you are as unruly as the waves of the sea,
and you will be first no longer.
For you slept with one of my wives;
you dishonored me in my own bed.
5" Simeon and Levi are two of a kind--
men of violence.
6 O my soul, stay away from them.
May I never be a party to their wicked plans.
For in their anger they murdered men,
and they crippled oxen just for sport.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
cursed be their wrath, for it is cruel.
Therefore, I will scatter their descendants
throughout the nation of Israel.
8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will defeat your enemies.
All your relatives will bow before you.
9 Judah is a young lion
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness-- who will dare to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will obey.
11 He ties his foal to a grapevine,
the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine
because his harvest is so plentiful.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.
13" Zebulun will settle on the shores of the sea
and will be a harbor for ships;
his borders will extend to Sidon.
14 "Issachar is a strong beast of burden,
resting among the sheepfolds.
15 When he sees how good the countryside is,
how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the task
and submit to forced labor.
16" Dan will govern his people
like any other tribe in Israel.
17 He will be a snake beside the road,
a poisonous viper along the path,
that bites the horse's heels
so the rider is thrown off.
18 I trust in you for salvation, O LORD!
19 "Gad will be plundered by marauding bands,
but he will turn and plunder them.
20" Asher will produce rich foods,
food fit for kings.
21 "Naphtali is a deer let loose,
producing magnificent fawns.
22" Joseph is a fruitful tree,
a fruitful tree beside a fountain.
His branches reach over the wall.
23 He has been attacked by archers,
who shot at him and harassed him.
24 But his bow remained strong,
and his arms were strengthened
by the Mighty One of Jacob,
the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
25 May the God of your ancestors help you;
may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,
blessings of the earth beneath,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.
26 May the blessings of your ancestors
be greater than the blessings of the eternal mountains,
reaching to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills.
These blessings will fall on the head of Joseph,
who is a prince among his brothers.
27 "Benjamin is a wolf that prowls.
He devours his enemies in the morning,
and in the evening he divides the plunder."
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and these are the blessings with which Jacob blessed his twelve sons. Each received a blessing that was appropriate to him. 29 Then Jacob told them, "Soon I will die. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in Ephron's field. 30 This is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a permanent burial place. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah. 32 It is the cave that my grandfather Abraham bought from the Hittites." 33 Then when Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he lay back in the bed, breathed his last, and died.


Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. 30 A vast crowd brought him the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others with physical difficulties, and they laid them before Jesus. And he healed them all. 31 The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn't been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking around, and those who had been blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the road." 33 The disciples replied, "And where would we get enough food out here in the wilderness for all of them to eat?" 34 Jesus asked, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They replied, "Seven, and a few small fish." 35 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, broke them into pieces, and gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd. 37 They all ate until they were full, and when the scraps were picked up, there were seven large baskets of food left over! 38 There were four thousand men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children. 39 Then Jesus sent the people home, and he got into a boat and crossed over to the region of Magadan. 16:1 ONE day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus' claims by asking him to show them a miraculous sign from heaven. 2 He replied, "You know the saying, `Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow, 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day. 'You are good at reading the weather signs in the sky, but you can't read the obvious signs of the times! 4 Only an evil, faithless generation would ask for a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah." Then Jesus left them and went away. 5 Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any food. 6 "Watch out!" Jesus warned them. "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 7 They decided he was saying this because they hadn't brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said, "You have so little faith! Why are you worried about having no food? 9 Won't you ever understand? Don't you remember the five thousand I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of food that were left over? 10 Don't you remember the four thousand I fed with seven loaves, with baskets of food left over? 11 How could you even think I was talking about food? So again I say, `Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'" 12 Then at last they understood that he wasn't speaking about yeast or bread but about the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.


For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 In times of trouble, may the LORD respond to your cry.
May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.
2 May he send you help from his sanctuary
and strengthen you from Jerusalem.
3 May he remember all your gifts
and look favorably on your burnt offerings.
Interlude4 May he grant your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory,
flying banners to honor our God.
May the LORD answer all your prayers.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed king.
He will answer him from his holy heaven
and rescue him by his great power.
7 Some nations boast of their armies and weapons,
but we boast in the LORD our God.
8 Those nations will fall down and collapse,
but we will rise up and stand firm.
9 Give victory to our king, O LORD!
Respond to our cry for help.


Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. Don't lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning. Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. Avoid all perverse talk; stay far from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil

Reading through the Word...Day 23

GENESIS 46:1- 47:31
MATTHEW 15:1- 28
PSALM 19:1- 14
PROVERBS 4:14- 19


So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. 2 During the night God spoke to him in a vision. "Jacob! Jacob!" he called. "Here I am," Jacob replied. 3 "I am God," the voice said, "the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will see to it that you become a great nation there. 4 I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back again. But you will die in Egypt with Joseph at your side." 5 So Jacob left Beersheba, and his sons brought him to Egypt. They carried their little ones and wives in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them. 6 They brought their livestock, too, and all the belongings they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Jacob and his entire family arrived in Egypt-- 7 sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters-- all his descendants. 8 These are the names of the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob, who went with him to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob's oldest son. 9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul. (Shaul's mother was a Canaanite woman.) 11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (But Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.) The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These are the sons of Jacob who were born to Leah in Paddan- aram, along with their sister, Dinah. In all, Jacob's descendants through Leah numbered thirty- three. 16 The sons of Gad were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Their sister was named Serah. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malkiel. 18 These sixteen were descendants of Jacob through Zilpah, the servant given to Leah by her father, Laban. 19 The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 Joseph's sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. 21 Benjamin's sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These fourteen were the descendants of Jacob and his wife Rachel. 23 The son of Dan was Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These seven were the descendants of Jacob through Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. 26 So the total number of Jacob's direct descendants who went with him to Egypt, not counting his sons 'wives, was sixty- six. 27 Joseph also had two sons who had been born in Egypt. So altogether, there were seventy members of Jacob's family in the land of Egypt. 28 Jacob sent Judah on ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the land of Goshen. And when they all arrived there, 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father. As soon as Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept on his shoulder for a long time. 30 Then Jacob said to Joseph, "Now let me die, for I have seen you with my own eyes and know you are still alive." 31 And Joseph said to his brothers and to all their households, "I'll go and tell Pharaoh that you have all come from the land of Canaan to join me. 32 And I will tell him, `These men are shepherds and livestock breeders. They have brought with them their flocks and herds and everything they own.' 33 So when Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, 34 tell him, `We have been livestock breeders from our youth, as our ancestors have been for many generations. 'When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the land of Goshen, for shepherds are despised in the land of Egypt." 47:1 SO Joseph went to see Pharaoh and said, "My father and my brothers are here from Canaan. They came with all their flocks and herds and possessions, and they are now in the land of Goshen." 2 Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh asked them, "What is your occupation?" And they replied, "We are shepherds like our ancestors. 4 We have come to live here in Egypt, for there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine is very severe there. We request permission to live in the land of Goshen." 5 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Now that your family has joined you here, 6 choose any place you like for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt-- the land of Goshen will be fine. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too." 7 Then Joseph brought his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 "How old are you?" Pharaoh asked him. 9 Jacob replied, "I have lived for 130 hard years, but I am still not nearly as old as many of my ancestors." 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again before he left. 11 So Joseph assigned the best land of Egypt-- the land of Rameses-- to his father and brothers, just as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph furnished food to his father and brothers in amounts appropriate to the number of their dependents. 13 Meanwhile, the famine became worse and worse, and the crops continued to fail throughout Egypt and Canaan. 14 Joseph collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan in exchange for grain, and he brought the money to Pharaoh's treasure- house. 15 When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, they came to Joseph crying again for food. "Our money is gone," they said, "but give us bread. Why should we die?" 16 "Well, then," Joseph replied, "since your money is gone, give me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange." 17 So they gave their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. Soon all the horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys of Egypt were in Pharaoh's possession. But at least they were able to purchase food for that year. 18 The next year they came again and said, "Our money is gone, and our livestock are yours. We have nothing left but our bodies and land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we will then become servants to Pharaoh. Just give us grain so that our lives may be saved and so the land will not become empty and desolate." 20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and their land then belonged to Pharaoh. 21 Thus, all the people of Egypt became servants to Pharaoh. 22 The only land he didn't buy was that belonging to the priests, for they were assigned food from Pharaoh and didn't need to sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, "See, I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed, so you can plant the fields. 24 Then when you harvest it, a fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. Keep four- fifths for yourselves, and use it to plant the next year's crop and to feed yourselves, your households, and your little ones." 25 "You have saved our lives!" they exclaimed. "May it please you, sir, to let us be Pharaoh's servants." 26 Joseph then made it a law throughout the land of Egypt-- and it is still the law-- that Pharaoh should receive one- fifth of all the crops grown on his land. But since Pharaoh had not taken over the priests' land, they were exempt from this payment. 27 So the people of Israel settled in the land of Goshen in Egypt. And before long, they began to prosper there, and their population grew rapidly. 28 Jacob lived for seventeen years after his arrival in Egypt, so he was 147 years old when he died. 29 As the time of his death drew near, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "If you are pleased with me, swear most solemnly that you will honor this, my last request:Do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I am dead, take me out of Egypt and bury me beside my ancestors." So Joseph promised that he would. 31 "Swear that you will do it," Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.


Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to interview Jesus. 2 "Why do your disciples disobey our age- old traditions?" they demanded. "They ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat." 3 Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, `Honor your father and mother, 'and `Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.' 5 But you say, `You don't need to honor your parents by caring for their needs if you give the money to God instead. '6 And so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct commandment of God. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said,8 `These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away.
9 Their worship is a farce,
for they replace God's commands with their own man- made teachings.'"
10 Then Jesus called to the crowds and said, "Listen to what I say and try to understand. 11 You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do." 12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?" 13 Jesus replied, "Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be rooted up, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch." 15 Then Peter asked Jesus, "Explain what you meant when you said people aren't defiled by what they eat." 16 "Don't you understand?" Jesus asked him. 17 "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes out of the body. 18 But evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands could never defile you and make you unacceptable to God!" 21 Jesus then left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter has a demon in her, and it is severely tormenting her." 23 But Jesus gave her no reply-- not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to leave," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging." 24 Then he said to the woman, "I was sent only to help the people of Israel-- God's lost sheep-- not the Gentiles." 25 But she came and worshiped him and pleaded again, "Lord, help me!" 26 "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs," he said. 27 "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even dogs are permitted to eat crumbs that fall beneath their master's table." 28 "Woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.


For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 The heavens tell of the glory of God.
The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or a word;
their voice is silent in the skies;
4 yet their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to all the world.
The sun lives in the heavens
where God placed it.
5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom
after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete
eager to run the race.
6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the LORD are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are clear,
giving insight to life.
9 Reverence for the LORD is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the LORD are true;
each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to those who hear them;
there is great reward for those who obey them.
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep me from deliberate sins!
Don't let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.
14 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.


Do not do as the wicked do or follow the path of evildoers. Avoid their haunts. Turn away and go somewhere else, for evil people cannot sleep until they have done their evil deed for the day. They cannot rest unless they have caused someone to stumble. They eat wickedness and drink violence! The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over

Coming Soon

Coming soon I will be placing on my blog a daily reading so that we can read through the Bible in a year. It is God's Word in us that will give us the wisdom, insight, and strength to trust and follow Him

What the Bible says about you....Day 38

You are chosen, holy, and blameless

Ephesians 1:4

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love"

How often do you feel worthy, holy, or truly loved of God. If you are like most people, you read the words above but the idea of really believing those words is few and far between.

As we are studying about the Holy Spirit we understand that every word of scripture has been "breathed" by God and is straight from His lips so we know it is true.

Because of God's great love for us, we have been chosen...

Because of God's great love for us, we have been made holy....

Because of God's great love for us, we are found without blame....that is God breathed

It doesn't matter... how you feel, what anyone says, or even what you believe, God's Word says you are chosen by Him, you are holy and blameless.

What an amazing gift we have been given. Let's choose to live it today.

What the Bible says about you...Day 36

God has a specific plan for you

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope"

Lots of people have plans for us, the enemy has a plan for us, and we set our own plans for our future. Some times we reach a certain amount of success on our own but as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13, we can do all kinds of things but if we do not do them in love they are worthless.

It is the leap of faith that God calls us to. Trusting that God's plans will fulfill us, will encourage us, and will cause us to have the greatest impact.

God knows us completely and He created us for an amazing purpose. If you are frustrated by what you are doing, if you are not seeing fruitfulness in what you are doing, if you seem like you are going nowhere fast, perhaps it is time to stop, look and see what God's plan is for you.

His plans are to be a blessing in your life and to fulfill you and not place burdens on you. If that is the life you want choose to trust Him with your future today

What the Bible says about you....Day 35

You will always have peace


Philippians 4:7

"and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

There is plenty to worry about. The news is replete with one horrible story after another, each one can create more worry than the last.  The economy is up and down. The threats to our lives because of terrorist, disease, relationship failure and so many other things.

In the middle of it all God promises peace. How can he do that?

Despite the craziness of the world and all of the trouble we face on a daily basis, God is in control. At least He wants to be! When we don't trust the Lord with the struggles, fears, and concerns of our daily lives, we will never have peace. However, when we by faith, choose to trust the Lord with all of our struggles we can have peace.

Think about what you are worried about, what keeps you up at night, what gives you heartburn then by faith, ask the Lord to show you how to release it into His hands. He wants to take it trust Him with it. Trust Him to care for your problems and struggles. 

He will give you peace. 

What the Bible says about you....Day 34

You have the same promises as Abraham

Galatians 3:29

"And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Abraham was promised a land which means to us that we are promised a future, blessings and the supply of all that we need. God will not fail us and just as He promised Abraham a land He will meet all of your needs.

He promised Abraham that he would be a great nation. God will bless you with family and friends that will stand with you. He has called us to be part of a massive family called the church. As we learn to trust the Lord we become a great nation dedicated to advance the Lord's kingdom changing hearts and lives for eternity.

The third promise God gave Abraham was that through him all the nations would be blessed. Every gift, skill, talent and our personalities are created in us to make us the head and not the tail. We have been created to impact the world, to be fulfilled by peace that surpasses all understanding and joy unspeakable. As you follow the Lord this promise is for you to be blessed in all you do so that all might see God in you.

Sounds like great promises for us today. 

What the Bible has to say about you....Day 32

We are created to accomplish great things

Ephesians 2:10

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them


Do you ever feel useless, wondering if there is a point to life? Do you ever find yourself trying to figure out if God really has a plan for you?  Most of us at some point have these feelings. The enemy and others have been very busy trying to make us feel like we are not a people of promise.

This scripture is very clear each of us, you included have been uniquely design to fill a special function in the Kingdom. We were not only designed to fulfill this function but God has a plan for all the things we can and should accomplish.

Don't ever give up on yourself or God. You are given a specific and special plan and purpose. The things we experience the circumstances we walk through are all for the purpose of molding, shaping and preparing us for that purpose. I am sure that many of the men and women in the Word thought, "What have I done to deserve this?," "Does God even know I'm here?" "Does He care?"  As we read on further we see that He always works it out, He has a plan. We need to choose to trust and the way we trust is by spending time with Him and in His Word!

God has a plan! You were created to fulfill a purpose! Don't give up or give in!

What the Bible says about you....Day 31

Not only are you loved but you are chosen

1 Thessalonians 1:4

"We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people"

Yesterday we talked about how we are all loved, it is great to know we are loved but to realize you are chosen can change your world.

How many have made it through the dreaded time of being "picked" as a kid for some game. Whether it was early or late in the choosing process there was a worry about "if" you were going to be picked. Your worth or value were in someone else's hands.

Well your value is still in someone else's hands. Whoever can make you feel worthless or valueless you have placed your life into their hands. 

God has "picked you", you have been chosen by God. He places so much value on you that He was willing to die for you. He gave His best, His son's life for you! You have that much value. Why waste your life allowing someone else to assign your value. God says He picked you and you are the best!

What the Bible says about you...Day 30

You are loved

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you

Love is not really an option for human beings. Love is a necessity.

Research studies have been done in the former Soviet Republics were babies who were simply given the basics of life; food, shelter, and clean diapers but were not touched held or generally loved, simply died for no appear ant reason except for the lack of love.

We all need to both give and receive love. It hurts sometime to be the one who gives and gives and does not receive but that is where the Lord comes in. He gave and continues to give nonstop. His love for us is everlasting. Sometimes we can not feel His love but those are the times we must apply faith to our daily lives. We must choose to believe Him at his Word. The Bible says we must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Sometimes it does hurt to love but more often, it hurts more to not love.

God's love for us never fails. It is never lacking. It is ever present. Fight to believe it!

What the Bible says about you...Day 28

You have been set free


Galatians 5:1

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

There are many things that have kept us in bondage. Religion, a belief that we need to work to receive salvation. Fear, of the future, of the past, or God (in an unhealthy way) with it are the other names of fear, anxiety, worry, intimidation and many others. Sin, in general the things we believe we are bond by because of our families, history, what doctors have said and so on.

We are sometimes in bondage to the things others have said, hurtful, limiting things that are not blessings from God. Jesus has said we are set free.

So if Paul wrote that Christ set us free why don't you feel free. We must acknowledge our need to be free and that Jesus can set us free. Paul is challenging the church not only are we free because of Christ but we must chose to remain free by being aware of the things that can put us in bondage and refuse to go there.

Your past does not own you. Your past is gone in God's eyes and your future is exciting new and filled with life and life abundantly. He wants to bless you beyond anything you can hope or imagine so don't go back into the bondage of the law, fear or anything else that is not God.

What the Bible says about you....Day 24

We are new and the old is gone!


2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new

If I am new why do I still feel like the old me? Our lives are full of choices from the simplest thing like what to wear and what to eat for breakfast to... Do I quit my job? What school should I attend? or Whom should I marry?

Whether we make a choice or not, we make a choice even by not making one. These choices determine our attitudes and how we feel about ourselves.

What Jesus did on the cross and our accepting what He did makes us new and overcome all of our past. We need to make the choice to believe it.

I know, I know it is not easy but we need to keep reminding ourselves that God's word is true and that my feelings and the devil will lie to me every time. Our feelings are our truth.

God is amazing that way, in His heart and mind, our past sin and garbage are no more and our future is all brand new. Make the choice today to believe His truth that the old is passed away and the all things are made new. 

What the Bible says about you....Day 23

You mind has been opened so you can understand all truth

2 Corinthians 3:14

But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.


Many people are suffering from what is called "brain fog". It is hard to think clearly, to remember certain things, or to keep certain facts straight.

Much of that, I believe, is the direct result of all the things we are trying to accomplish, the myriad of items on our plates everyday. We are bosses or employees, we are parents and children, we are friends, church members, coaches (whether on the sidelines on on the field or rink), we wear many hats and try to keep it all together. Recent study show us that multitasking is really a myth, something always suffers when we multitask. I believe part of that is the cause of the "brain fog". 

So what does that have to do with our minds being opened to all truth? Often we put on so many hats trying to please others and please God. We are trying to "work" our salvation. Or  our perception is that we need to always be busy. Busy-ness is not next to godliness. We want to be about our Father's business but at the same time resting in Him, casting our burdens on Him.

In the world are minds are hardened by the drive to perform, to live our lives the best way we can in our strength, it is all about us. We can end of frustrated, stressed, beat up and generally miserable. When we come to Christ He keeps are minds clear (he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Him). We can walk in peace because we know and live in the truth He provides.

What the Bible says about you....Day 22

God will always cause you to triumph

2 Corinthians 2:14

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.


You might be saying right now I don't feel very triumphant. I can't imagine Jesus felt very triumphant as He was whipped, stripped and nail to a cross. I can't imagine Paul and Silas felt very triumphant in a prison cell. I can imagine Peter and John felt very triumphant having been beaten and thrown in jail. 

You may be saying I have been given prophetic words about my future and the greatness God has in store. I can imagine David and Joseph saying the same thing. I can imagine the church in Corinth going through the persecution they were facing and receiving this very word from Paul saying, "You have got to be kidding Paul".

David wrote in Psalm 30:5 weeping last for a night but joy comes in the morning. 

We need to pray for a "God perspective" on all things. It is His good bless to bless you. Romans 8:17 from two days ago says that we are heirs of the Kingdom but we must also know that we will suffer with Him.

God wants to bless your socks off. He wants to use you to change your world! He wants to meet all of your needs but we must choose to trust Him in all things, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Bad things will happen. We will go through hard places but if our relationship with Him is so shallow that when we hit these difficult places we give up or fall into sin, or turn our backs on Him then we will never really triumph in anything.

If we know Him, we can savor of His knowledge in every place. The devil may try to get those who trust him, down but we will triumph in every way always knowing He will give us the victory. We are not sure if it will be today, tomorrow or when, but He knows us, loves us, has His hand on us and will cause us to triumph in all things.

Reading through the Word...Day 22

GENESIS 44:1- 45:28
MATTHEW 14:13- 36
PSALM 18:37- 50
PROVERBS 4:11- 13


When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to the man in charge of his household:"Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man's money back into his sack. 2 Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother's sack, along with his grain money." So the household manager did as he was told. 3 The brothers were up at dawn and set out on their journey with their loaded donkeys. 4 But when they were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his household manager, "Chase after them and stop them. Ask them, `Why have you repaid an act of kindness with such evil? 5 What do you mean by stealing my master's personal silver drinking cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done! '" 6 So the man caught up with them and spoke to them in the way he had been instructed. 7 "What are you talking about?" the brothers responded. "What kind of people do you think we are, that you accuse us of such a terrible thing? 8 Didn't we bring back the money we found in our sacks? Why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house? 9 If you find his cup with any one of us, let that one die. And all the rest of us will be your master's slaves forever." 10 "Fair enough," the man replied, "except that only the one who stole it will be a slave. The rest of you may go free." 11 They quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them. 12 Joseph's servant began searching the oldest brother's sack, going on down the line to the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack! 13 At this, they tore their clothing in despair, loaded the donkeys again, and returned to the city. 14 Joseph was still at home when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. 15 "What were you trying to do?" Joseph demanded. "Didn't you know that a man such as I would know who stole it?" 16 And Judah said, "Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we plead? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves-- we and our brother who had your cup in his sack." 17 "No," Joseph said. "Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go home to your father." 18 Then Judah stepped forward and said, "My lord, let me say just this one word to you. Be patient with me for a moment, for I know you could have me killed in an instant, as though you were Pharaoh himself. 19" You asked us, my lord, if we had a father or a brother. 20 We said, `Yes, we have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, his youngest son. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him very much.' 21 And you said to us, `Bring him here so I can see him. '22 But we said to you, `My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.' 23 But you told us, `You may not see me again unless your youngest brother is with you. '24 So we returned to our father and told him what you had said. 25 And when he said, `Go back again and buy us a little food,' 26 we replied, `We can't unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We won't be allowed to see the man in charge of the grain unless our youngest brother is with us. '27 Then my father said to us, `You know that my wife had two sons, 28 and that one of them went away and never returned-- doubtless torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since. 29 If you take away his brother from me, too, and any harm comes to him, you would bring my gray head down to the grave in deep sorrow.' 30 "And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father's life is bound up in the boy's life. 31 When he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We will be responsible for bringing his gray head down to the grave in sorrow. 32 My lord, I made a pledge to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, `If I don't bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever. '33 Please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I cannot bear to see what this would do to him." 45:1 JOSEPH could stand it no longer. "Out, all of you!" he cried out to his attendants. He wanted to be alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 2 Then he broke down and wept aloud. His sobs could be heard throughout the palace, and the news was quickly carried to Pharaoh's palace. 3 "I am Joseph!" he said to his brothers. "Is my father still alive?" But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4 "Come over here," he said. So they came closer. And he said again, "I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God has sent me here to keep you and your families alive so that you will become a great nation. 8 Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh-- manager of his entire household and ruler over all Egypt. 9" Hurry, return to my father and tell him, `This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. Come down to me right away! 10 You will live in the land of Goshen so you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that you have. 11 I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you and your household will come to utter poverty.' "12 Then Joseph said," You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! 13 Tell my father how I am honored here in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen, and bring him to me quickly. "14 Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin also began to weep. 15 Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and then they began talking freely with him. 16 The news soon reached Pharaoh:" Joseph's brothers have come! "Pharaoh was very happy to hear this and so were his officials. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph," Tell your brothers to load their pack animals and return quickly to their homes in Canaan. 18 Tell them to bring your father and all of their families, and to come here to Egypt to live. Tell them, `Pharaoh will assign to you the very best territory in the land of Egypt. You will live off the fat of the land! '19 And tell your brothers to take wagons from Egypt to carry their wives and little ones and to bring your father here. 20 Don't worry about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours. "21 So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with provisions for the journey. 22 And he gave each of them new clothes-- but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and three hundred pieces of silver! 23 He sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten donkeys loaded with grain and all kinds of other food to be eaten on his journey. 24 So he sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them," Don't quarrel along the way! "25 And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan. 26" Joseph is still alive! "they told him." And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt! "Jacob was stunned at the news-- he couldn't believe it. 27 But when they had given him Joseph's messages, and when he saw the wagons loaded with the food sent by Joseph, his spirit revived. 28 Then Jacob said," It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I will go and see him before I die. "


As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages. 14 A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 That evening the disciples came to him and said," This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves. "16 But Jesus replied," That isn't necessary-- you feed them. "17" Impossible! "they exclaimed." We have only five loaves of bread and two fish! "18" Bring them here, "he said. 19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. 21 About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children! 22 Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home. 23 Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once." It's all right, "he said." I am here! Don't be afraid. "28 Then Peter called to him," Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water. "29" All right, come, "Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink." Save me, Lord! "he shouted. 31 Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him." You don't have much faith, "Jesus said." Why did you doubt me? "32 And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him." You really are the Son of God! "they exclaimed. 34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 The news of their arrival spread quickly throughout the whole surrounding area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 The sick begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his robe, and all who touched it were healed.


I chased my enemies and caught them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
38 I struck them down so they could not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You made them turn and run;
I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to rescue them.
They cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer them.
42 I ground them as fine as dust carried by the wind.
I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers.
You appointed me as the ruler over nations;
people I don't even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
foreigners cringe before me.
45 They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted!
47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he subdues the nations under me
48 and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
49 For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing joyfully to your name.
50 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.


I will teach you wisdom's ways and lead you in straight paths. If you live a life guided by wisdom, you won't limp or stumble as you run. Carry out my instructions; don't forsake them. Guard them, for they will lead you to a fulfilled life